Techniques and apparatus for controlling access to components of a personal communication structure (PCS)

ABSTRACT

Techniques and apparatus for controlling access to a personal communication structure (PCS) are described. The PCS may include independently accessible compartments at least partially enclosing respective subsystems of the PCS. The independently accessible compartments include an electronics compartment, a communications compartment, and a display compartment. The electronics, communications, and display compartments at least partially enclose a power distribution subsystem, a communications subsystem, and a display subsystem, respectively. The PCS also includes an access controller operable to provide access independently to respective interiors of at least a subset of the compartments to authorized users.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure relates generally to techniques and apparatus forcontrolling access to components of a personal communication structure(PCS). Some embodiments relate specifically to techniques and apparatusfor compartmentalizing subsystems of a PCS and independently controllingaccess to the individual compartments.

BACKGROUND

In some public or semi-public areas, various structures can be used forcommunication or to obtain access to goods and services. For example,telephone booths can be used to place telephone calls. Interactivekiosks can be used to obtain access to information, products, and/orservices. Some interactive kiosks are self-service kiosks, which allowpatrons of a business to perform service tasks that were historicallyperformed by business employees. For example, the automated tellermachine (ATM) is a self-service kiosk that allows users to deposit fundsinto a financial account, withdraw funds from an account, check anaccount balance, etc.—tasks that were historically performed with theassistance of a human bank teller. As another example, some retailstores allow customers to scan and pay for their items at self-servicecheckout kiosks rather than checkout stations staffed by human cashiers.

An interactive kiosk generally includes a computer terminal, whichexecutes software and/or controls hardware peripherals to perform thekiosk's tasks. Many interactive kiosks are deployed inside buildingsthat are accessible to the public (e.g., banks, stores), in areas wherethe building operators can monitor the kiosks and protect them fromunauthorized access. In some cases, interactive kiosks are integratedinto walls of buildings (e.g., some ATMs are integrated into walls ofbanks), fastened to walls, or placed against walls, which can protectthe kiosks from unauthorized access and reduce the occurrence ofpotentially dangerous events such as the kiosks tipping or overturning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, public telephone booths have dwindled in number andmany of the remaining booths have fallen into relative disuse anddisrepair. The demise of the public telephone booth can be traced, inpart, to the increasing prevalence of mobile phones and to thewidespread use of communication networks for non-telephonic purposes.Many people who wish to participate in telephone conversations in publicplaces prefer the convenience of their own mobile phones to theinconvenience of a stationary phone booth. Furthermore, in contrast tomany mobile phones, conventional public telephone booths do not allowusers to access Internet-based data and services. Many people who wishto access Internet-based data and services in public places use mobilecomputing devices (e.g., smartphones or laptop computers) and wirelessnetworks (e.g., mobile broadband networks or Wi-Fi networks) to do so.In short, for many people, the public telephone booth is less convenientand less functional than other readily-available options for connectingto a communication network.

Despite the seeming ubiquity of mobile computing devices, many peopleare often left with insufficient access to telephonic or Internet-basedservices. In some areas, wireless network coverage may be poor ornonexistent. In areas where wireless networks are available, the numberof network users or the volume of network traffic may exceed thecapacity of the network, leaving some users unable to connect to thenetwork, and degrading quality of service for users who are able toconnect (e.g., degrading audio quality of phone calls or reducing ratesof data communication). Even when wireless networks are available andnot congested, some people may not have access to telephonic orInternet-based services because they may not have suitable computingdevices or network-access agreements (e.g., a person may not own acomputing device, may own a computing device but not have anetwork-access agreement with an Internet-service provider, may not owna mobile computing device, may have a mobile computing device with anuncharged battery, etc.).

There is a need for personal communication structures (PCSs) thatenhance public access to communication networks. Such PCSs may enhanceaccess to communication networks by expanding network coverage (e.g.,making communication networks available in areas where they wouldotherwise be unavailable), expanding network capacity (e.g., increasingthe capacity of communication networks in areas where such networks areavailable), expanding access to end-user computing devices andtelephones, and/or expanding access to charging outlets for mobilecomputing devices. By enhancing access to communication networks, thePCSs may improve the employment prospects, educational opportunities,and/or quality of life for individuals, families, and communities thatwould otherwise have limited access to communication networks.

The interior portions of a PCS may be secured to protect the PCS'scomponents from vandalism, theft, and damage (e.g., from unwantedhandling or exposure to the ambient environment), protect people fromsafety hazards (e.g., electrical hazards), prevent unauthorized partiesfrom accessing the PCS's components, etc.

Nevertheless, from time to time it may be necessary or desirable forauthorized parties to access the PCS's internal components. For example,it may be desirable for an authorized party to access a PCS component toperform maintenance, to perform tests, to repair or replace thecomponent, to adjust the component's settings, etc. In some cases, itmay be desirable for one party to have access to one set of PCScomponents and for another party to have access to another set of PCScomponents, without either party having access to both sets ofcomponents. More generally, it may be desirable for different parties tohave access only to specified subsets of the PCS's components. Forexample, it may be desirable for an electricians' union to have accessto the PCS's power distribution components, so that the union'selectricians can maintain or repair the power distribution subsystem,but there may be no reason for the electricians to have access to anyother PCS components.

There is a need for a personal communication structure (PCS) withcomponents divided among independently accessible, independently securedcompartments, such that suitable parties can be granted access to somePCS components, without granting those parties access to other PCScomponents. Such an arrangement of secure PCS compartment may facilitatemaintenance and operation of the PCS in scenarios where differentmaintenance providers and/or operators of the PCS need access only tolimited subsets of the PCS's components.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a PCS is providedincluding independently accessible compartments at least partiallyenclosing respective subsystems of the PCS. The independently accessiblecompartments include an electronics compartment, a communicationscompartment, and a display compartment. The electronics, communications,and display compartments at least partially enclose a power distributionsubsystem, a communications subsystem, and a display subsystem,respectively. The PCS also includes an access controller operable toprovide access independently to respective interiors of at least asubset of the compartments.

In some embodiments, the electronics compartment further at leastpartially encloses a networking subsystem and/or a maintenancesubsystem. In some embodiments, the electronics compartment includes apower distribution compartment and an independently accessiblenetworking compartment, wherein the power distribution compartment atleast partially encloses the power distribution subsystem, and whereinthe networking compartment at least partially encloses a networkingsubsystem. In some embodiments, the independently accessiblecompartments further include a networking compartment at least partiallyenclosing a networking subsystem and/or a maintenance compartment atleast partially enclosing a maintenance subsystem. In some embodiments,the electronics compartment includes an access panel movable between anopen position and a closed position, and a lock operable to lock theaccess panel in the closed position. In some embodiments, the accesscontroller is operable to provide access to an interior of theelectronics compartment by disengaging the lock and/or moving the accesspanel to the open position. In some embodiments, the electronicscompartment is disposed along a lower portion of the PCS.

In some embodiments, the communications subsystem includes at least onecommunication device selected from the group consisting of a wirelessaccess point, a radio access node, and an antenna. In some embodiments,the radio access node includes a small cell operable to communicate with3G mobile networks, 4G mobile networks, and/or LTE mobile networks. Insome embodiments, at least one side of the communications compartment isattached to a frame of the PCS by at least one security fastener. Insome embodiments, the communications compartment is located proximate atop of the PCS.

In some embodiments, the display subsystem includes a display paneloperable to display images. In some embodiments, the display compartmentincludes an access member movable between an open position and a closedposition, and a lock operable to lock the access member in the closedposition. In some embodiments, the lock includes a connector coupled tothe access member and a mating interlocking connector coupled to a frameof the PCS. In some embodiments, the access member includes a housing,wherein the housing includes a frame, a transparent covering secured tothe frame, and a cavity formed by the frame and the transparentcovering, and wherein the display panel is secured to the frame anddisposed within the cavity. In some embodiments, the access controlleris operable to provide access to an interior of the display compartmentby disengaging the lock and/or moving the access member to the openposition. In some embodiments, the display compartment is disposed alongan upper portion of the PCS.

In some embodiments, the access controller includes a processing device,wherein the subset of the independently accessible compartments includerespective locks, and wherein the processing device is configured toindependently disengage the respective locks. In some embodiments, theprocessing device is adapted to disengage each of the locks bycontrolling a solenoid driver, a rotary actuator, a linear actuator, anelectromagnet, a cam, and/or a lever. In some embodiments, the accesscontroller is configured to detect closure of an access member of atleast one compartment, wherein the access member is movable between anopen position and a closed position, and wherein the access controlleris configured to engage the lock associated with the at least onecompartment based on detection of the closure of the access member.

In some embodiments, the processing device is configured to receiveauthentication data and to disengage at least one of the locks based onthe authentication data meeting authentication requirements associatedwith the locks. In some embodiments, the access controller furtherincludes a data input device configured to provide the authenticationdata to the processing device. In some embodiments, the accesscontroller is configured to detect unauthorized access and/or attemptedunauthorized access. In some embodiments, the access controller isconfigured to collect evidence of the unauthorized access and/or theattempted unauthorized access. In some embodiments, the PCS furtherincludes a camera, wherein the access controller is configured tocollect the evidence by operating the camera to acquire at least oneimage of a region proximate to the PCS. In some embodiments, the accesscontroller is configured to provide an alert regarding the unauthorizedaccess and/or the attempted unauthorized access. In some embodiments,the access controller is configured to provide the alert by performingsounding an alarm, displaying a message via the display subsystem,and/or sending a silent alert to a security provider.

In some embodiments, the independently accessible compartments furtherinclude a user interface compartment at least partially enclosing a userinterface subsystem. In some embodiments, the PCS further includes anair intake compartment at least partially enclosing an air intakesubsystem. In some embodiments, the PCS further includes a mountingcompartment, wherein the mounting compartment encloses at least onepower connection and at least one network connection.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a personalcommunication structure (PCS) is provided including a plurality ofindependently accessible compartments at least partially enclosingrespective subsystems of the PCS. The plurality of independentlyaccessible compartments include an electronics compartment disposedalong a lower portion of the PCS, a communications compartment locatedproximate a top of the PCS, and a display compartment disposed along anupper portion of the PCS. The electronics compartment at least partiallyencloses a power distribution subsystem. The communications compartmentat least partially encloses a communications subsystem. The displaycompartment at least partially encloses a display subsystem.

In some embodiments, the electronics compartment further at leastpartially encloses a networking subsystem and/or a maintenancesubsystem. In some embodiments, the electronics compartment includes anaccess panel movable between an open position and a closed position, anda lock operable to lock the access panel in the closed position. In someembodiments, the access controller is operable to provide access to aninterior of the electronics compartment by disengaging the lock and/ormoving the access panel to the open position.

In some embodiments, the communications subsystem includes at least onecommunication device selected from the group consisting of a wirelessaccess point, a radio access node, and an antenna. In some embodiments,the radio access node includes a small cell. In some embodiments, thesmall cell is operable to communicate with 3G mobile networks, 4G mobilenetworks, and/or LTE mobile networks.

In some embodiments, the display subsystem includes a display paneloperable to display images. In some embodiments, the display compartmentincludes an access member movable between an open position and a closedposition, and a lock operable to lock the access member in the closedposition. In some embodiments, the lock includes a connector coupled tothe access member and a mating interlocking connector coupled to a frameof the PCS. In some embodiments, the access member includes a housing,wherein the housing includes a frame, a transparent covering secured tothe frame, and a cavity formed by the frame and the transparentcovering, and wherein the display panel is secured to the frame anddisposed within the cavity. In some embodiments, the access controlleris operable to provide access to an interior of the display compartmentby disengaging the lock and/or moving the access member to the openposition.

In some embodiments, the PCS further includes an access controlleroperable to provide access independently to respective interiors of atleast a subset of the compartments. In some embodiments, the accesscontroller includes a processing device, wherein the subset of theindependently accessible compartments include respective locks, andwherein the processing device is configured to independently disengagethe respective locks. In some embodiments, the processing device isconfigured to receive authentication data and to disengage at least oneof the locks based on the authentication data meeting authenticationrequirements associated with the locks.

In some embodiments, the PCS further includes a data input deviceadapted to provide the authentication data to the processing device, andan air intake compartment at least partially enclosing an air intakesubsystem and the data input device. In some embodiments, theindependently accessible compartments further include a user interfacecompartment at least partially enclosing a user interface subsystem.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, an access-controlmethod for a personal communication structure (PCS) is provided. Themethod includes receiving authentication data via an interface of thePCS. The PCS includes a plurality of independently accessiblecompartments at least partially enclosing respective subsystems of thePCS. The plurality of independently accessible compartments includes anelectronics compartment at least partially enclosing a powerdistribution subsystem, a communications compartment at least partiallyenclosing a communications subsystem, and a display compartment at leastpartially enclosing a display subsystem. The method further includes,based, at least in part, on a determination that the authentication datameets authentication requirements associated with a first of theindependently accessible compartments, providing access to an interiorof the first compartment without providing access to interiors of otherindependently accessible compartments.

In some embodiments, providing access to the interior of the firstcompartment includes moving an access panel of the first compartmentfrom a closed position to an open position and/or disengaging a lockcoupled to the access panel. In some embodiments, the access panel ofthe first compartment is moved to the open position without movingaccess panels of the other independently accessible compartments. Insome embodiments, the lock of the first compartment is disengagedwithout disengaging locks of the other independently accessiblecompartments.

In some embodiments, the method further includes receiving permission toprovide authorized access to the interior of the first compartment,wherein the access to the interior of the first compartment is providedbased, at least in part, on the receipt of the permission to provideauthorized access to the interior of the first compartment and on thedetermination that the authentication data meets the authenticationrequirements associated with the first compartment. In some embodiments,the permission to provide authorized access to the interior of the firstcompartment is received from a remote entity through a communicationnetwork. In some embodiments, the permission to provide authorizedaccess to the interior of the first compartment is limited to aspecified time period. In some embodiments, the specified time period isbased, at least in part, on a repair schedule and/or a maintenanceschedule.

In some embodiments, the method further includes requesting permissionto provide authorized access to the interior of the first compartment,prior to receiving the permission. In some embodiments, the step ofrequesting permission is based on a maintenance subsystem of the PCSrecommending servicing of a component of the PCS accessible via thefirst compartment. In some embodiments, the step of requesting thepermission to provide authorized access to the interior of the firstcompartment includes transmitting a code to at least one of an addressand a phone number associated with a security provider.

In some embodiments, the method further includes providing an indicationthat authorized access to the interior of the first compartment ispermitted. In some embodiments, providing the indication includesactivating a light on the PCS, activating a light on the firstcompartment, and/or displaying a message.

Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following drawings, detailed description, and claims, all of whichillustrate the principles of the invention, by way of example only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain advantages of some embodiments may be understood by referring tothe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings. In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer tothe same parts throughout the different views. Also, the drawings arenot necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed uponillustrating principles of some embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a personal communication structure (PCS),in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a power distribution subsystem of a PCS, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a network subsystem of a PCS, in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a schematic of a maintenance subsystem of a PCS, in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a user interface subsystem of a PCS, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a schematic of a user interface subsystem of a PCS, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a schematic of a display module of a PCS, in accordance withsome embodiments;

FIG. 8 illustrates an arrangement of compartments of a PCS, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C show respective front perspective, side, andexploded front perspective views of a PCS, in accordance with someembodiments;

FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C show respective side perspective, frontperspective, and exploded front perspective views of a frame of a PCS,in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 11 shows a perspective view of a portion of a PCS, in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIGS. 12A and 12B show front perspective views of a PCS with ribbedpanels, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 12C shows a schematic side view of a ribbed panel, in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIG. 13 illustrates a system for controlling access to components of aPCS, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a security fastener;

FIG. 15 shows a block diagram of an access controller, in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of an electronics compartment, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 17A and 17B show respective front and rear perspective views of anelectronics cabinet, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 18A and 18B show respective front and exploded front perspectiveviews of an air intake assembly, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 19A and 19B show respective front perspective and rear perspectiveviews of a user interface device, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 20 shows a perspective view of a display compartment, in accordancewith some embodiments;

FIG. 21 shows an exploded perspective view of display module, inaccordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 22 shows a perspective cut-away view of a compartment lock of adisplay compartment, in accordance with some embodiments;

FIGS. 23A and 23B show side views of a compartment lock of a displaycompartment with the lock engaged (FIG. 23A) and disengaged (FIG. 23B),in accordance with some embodiments;

FIG. 24 shows a perspective view of a communications compartment, inaccordance with some embodiments; and

FIG. 25 shows a perspective view of a mounting compartment, inaccordance with some embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Overview of Personal Communication Structure (PCS)

FIG. 1 illustrates a personal communication structure (PCS) 100,according to some embodiments. PCS 100 enhances access to communicationnetworks in public or semi-public places. In some embodiments, PCS 100includes an electronics subsystem 140, a user interface subsystem 150, atemperature control subsystem 160, a display subsystem 170, acommunications subsystem 180, and/or a mounting subsystem 190.Electronics subsystem 140 may include a power distribution subsystem110, a network subsystem 120, and/or a maintenance subsystem 130. Theseand other components of PCS 100 are described in further detail below.

Power distribution subsystem 110 distributes electrical power tocomponents of PCS 100. Power distribution subsystem 100 may providepower to network subsystem 120, maintenance subsystem 130, othercomponents of electronics subsystem 140, user interface subsystem 150,temperature control subsystem 160, display subsystem 170, and/orcommunications subsystem 180. Power distribution subsystem 110 maydistribute power provided by any suitable power source(s) including,without limitation, batteries, solar panels, a power line 112 coupled toa power grid, etc. In some embodiments, power distribution subsystem 110includes one or more power converters operable to convert power from oneform (e.g., AC power) into another form (e.g., DC power) suitable forthe PCS's components. In some embodiments, power distribution subsystem110 includes one or more voltage level converters operable to change thevoltage level of a signal to a level compatible with a component of thePCS. The ground terminal of the power distribution subsystem 110 may becoupled to a reference potential 114 via the chassis of the PCS or viaany other suitable path.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a power distribution subsystem 110,according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, power distributionsubsystem (PDS) 110 includes a power conversion system 204, a powerdistribution board 202, and a battery 206. The inputs to powerconversion system 204 include AC power supply signals (e.g., 120 VAC at60 Hz) carried on a hot line 212, a neutral line 214, and a ground line216. In some embodiments, the hot line 212 and neutral line 214 may becoupled to power conversion system 204 by quick disconnect devices 207and 208, respectively, whereby the hot and neutral lines may be safelydisconnected from power distribution subsystem 110 if the PCS isseparated from its footing. Ground line 216 may be coupled to a groundterminal of the PCS 100. Power conversion system 204 processes the ACpower supply signals and converts the processed signals into DC powersupply signals. In some embodiments, power conversion system 204includes a current transformer 222, AC power distribution unit 223,ground-fault circuit interrupter 224 (e.g., circuit breakers), AC linefilter 226, and rectifier 218. Rectifier 218 may function as a DC powersupply (e.g., a 24 V, 75 A, 2 kW DC power supply). As can be seen inFIG. 2, the outputs of various components of power conversion system 204may be provided as inputs to power distribution board 202.

Power distribution board 202 may detect power system faults anddistribute DC power signals to other components of the PCS. In someembodiments, power distribution board 202 uses the AC signals providedby power conversion system 204 to perform fault detection (e.g., groundfault detection, stray voltage detection, etc.). In some embodiments,power distribution board 202 uses the DC power supply signals providedby power conversion system 204 and/or battery 206 to produce DC powersupply signals at various voltage levels (e.g., 5V, 12V, and 24V DC),and distributes those DC power supply signals to suitable components ofthe PCS 100.

In some embodiments, power distribution system DC power signals can beswitched on and off. As those skilled in the art can appreciate,staggered activation of high-power devices (e.g., one or more componentsof display subsystem 170) reduces in-rush current demand on power supply218. In some embodiments, the power distribution subsystem 110 is ableto measure output current and can shut off power supply signals when thedevice reaches an over-current threshold. When a device causesover-current and “trips” the output, an error message may be sent to amaintenance center, indicating that the PCS requires servicing.

Battery 206 may provide backup power for components of PCS 100,including but not limited to user interface subsystem 150, which mayimplement emergency communication (e.g., E911) functionality. In someembodiments, power distribution board 202 may charge battery 206 (e.g.,at 24 VDC) when power conversion system 204 is producing DC power andPCS 100 is not using all the available DC power. In some embodiments, asolar charging system may charge battery 206 during power outages or atother times.

In some embodiments, the power distribution subsystem 110 can detectwhether the ground-fault circuit interrupter 224 has tripped. Theability to detect activation of the ground-fault circuit interrupter 224can facilitate maintenance of the PCS. For example, while on back-upbattery power, the PDS may determine whether AC power is lost (e.g., bysensing whether AC power supply signals are present) or the ground-faultcircuit interrupter 224 has tripped. A suitable message can then be sentto the maintenance center, indicating, for example, whether the PCSrequires service.

Returning to FIG. 1, network subsystem 120 controls communication on anetwork 124 within PCS 100, and communication between internal network124 and a network 126 external to the PCS. In some embodiments, networksubsystem 120 uses network 124 to communicate with power distributionsystem 110, maintenance subsystem 130, user interface subsystem 150,temperature control subsystem 160, display subsystem 170, and/orcommunications subsystem 180. The nodes of network 124 may be arrangedin one or more suitable network topologies, including, withoutlimitation, a bus (e.g., with network subsystem 120 as the buscontroller), star network (e.g., with network subsystem 120 as thecentral hub), ring network, mesh network, tree network, point-to-pointnetwork, etc. Network 124 may be implemented using one or more suitablecommunication technologies, including, without limitation, Ethernet, DVI(Digital Visual Interface), HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface),USB (Universal Serial Bus), SMB (System Management Bus), I2C(Inter-Integrated Circuit) bus, VGA (Video Graphics Array), SCSI (SmallComputer System Interface), SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) bus, LVDS(low-voltage differential signaling), etc.

Network subsystem 120 may send and receive any suitable data. Forexample, network subsystem 120 may control the operation of othercomponents of PCS 100 by sending control data to the PCS's subsystems.Network subsystem 120 may forward commands received from a suitablesource, including, without limitation, other PCS subsystems and/ornetwork 126. As another example, network subsystem 120 may send operanddata to components of PCS 100 for processing by those components (e.g.,data to be displayed by display subsystem 170 or user interfacesubsystem 150, data to be transmitted by communications subsystem 180,etc.).

In some embodiments, network subsystem 120 communicates with network 126via data link 122. Data link 122 may be implemented using a suitablecommunications line, including, without limitation, an Ethernet cable,coaxial cable, or optical fiber. In some embodiments, network subsystem120 may include a signal conversion device adapted to convert thesignals received on data link 122 from one form (e.g., optical signals)into another form (e.g., electrical signals).

FIG. 3 shows a schematic of a network subsystem 120, in accordance withsome embodiments. In one embodiment, network subsystem 120 includes afiber junction box 302, a service delivery switch 304, and a networkswitch 306. In the example of FIG. 3, data link 122 includes one or moreoptical fibers. Fiber junction box 302 may optically couple the opticalfibers of data link 122 to one or more internal optical fibers 322. Insome embodiments, fiber junction box 302 includes one or more quickdisconnect devices, whereby the optical fibers of data link 122 may beprotected from damage if PCS 100 is separated from its footing. Servicedelivery switch 304 may convert the optical signals received on opticalfibers 322 into electrical signals representing network traffic (e.g.,Ethernet packets), and provide that network traffic to network switch306. Likewise, service delivery switch 304 may convert the networktraffic (e.g., Ethernet packets) received from network switch 306 intooptical signals, and provide those optical signals to fiber junction box302. Network switch 306 may switch network traffic between PCSsubsystems, or between a PCS subsystem and network 126. In someembodiments, network switch 306 is an Ethernet switch. Network switch306 may be powered by power distribution subsystem 110.

In some embodiments, network subsystem 120 includes apower-over-Ethernet (POE) injector 308. The POE injector 308 may providepower to one or more PCS subsystems, including, without limitation,communications subsystem 180.

Returning to FIG. 1, maintenance subsystem 130 runs maintenancediagnostics on components of PCS 100. In some embodiments, maintenancesubsystem 130 performs tests on the PCS's components and/or initiatesself-tests of the PCS's components. Such tests may be performedperiodically (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly, etc.), intermittently,randomly or at other suitable times. Alternatively or in addition,components of PCS 100 may perform such tests in response to commandsreceived via network subsystem 120 (e.g., commands issued by a PCSoperator via network 126 or via communications subsystem 180), or inresponse to other suitable events.

Based on the results of such tests, maintenance subsystem 130 maydetermine whether a tested component is operating properly. If a testedcomponent is not operating properly, maintenance subsystem 130 mayoutput data describing the component's malfunction (e.g., transmit anerror code to a PCS operator via network 126 or communications subsystem180, display an error message via display subsystem 170 or userinterface subsystem 150, etc.), take action to resolve the malfunction(e.g., reboot the malfunctioning component), turn off power to thefaulty component or to the entire PCS (e.g., if the malfunction presentsa safety hazard), etc.

In some embodiments, maintenance subsystem 130 may be adapted to controlor adjust the operation of power distribution subsystem 110, for safetypurposes or other suitable purposes. As described above, if a safetyhazard is detected, maintenance subsystem 130 may control powerdistribution subsystem 110 to deactivate the PCS 100 or the unsafecomponent(s). Alternatively, maintenance subsystem 130 may control powerdistribution subsystem 110 to “power cycle” or “reboot” a malfunctioningcomponent.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic of a maintenance subsystem 130, in accordancewith some embodiments. In various embodiments, maintenance subsystem 130includes one or more processing devices 400. The processing device(s)may include, without limitation, a microprocessor, microcontroller,small-board computer, system on a chip (SoC) (e.g., Qualcomm Snapdragon,Nvidia Tegra, Intel Atom, Samsung Exynos, Apple A7, Motorola X8, etc.),or other suitable processing device. The processing device(s) 400 maycommunicate with other components of PCS 100 via network subsystem 120to perform maintenance tasks, or for other suitable purposes. In someembodiments, processing device(s) 400 are powered by power distributionsubsystem 110.

Returning to FIG. 1, in addition to power distribution subsystem 110,network subsystem 120, and/or maintenance subsystem 130, electronicssubsystem 140 may include other components. In some embodiments,electronics subsystem 140 includes one or more illumination controllers,which control illumination of one or more lights coupled to or proximateto the PCS. When lit, the lights controlled by the illuminationcontroller may illuminate user interface subsystem 150 or other portionsof PCS 100. In some embodiments, electronics subsystem 140 includes oneor more sensor controllers, which control one or more sensor devices(e.g., microphones, cameras, ambient light sensors, pressure sensors,voltage sensors, environmental sensors, accelerometers, etc.). Suchsensors may be used for any suitable purpose, including, withoutlimitation, adjusting the brightness of displays and/or lights based onambient lighting, surveilling the region proximate to the PCS (e.g.,when an attempt to gain unauthorized access to the PCS is detected),etc.

User interface subsystem 150 provides an interactive user interface,which may be used to access a communication network. Referring to FIG.5, user interface subsystem 150 may include one or more user inputdevices 552, output devices 554, network modules 556 (e.g., networkinterface controllers, wireless transceivers, etc.), processing devices557, and/or power supply ports 558. The user input device(s) 552 mayinclude, without limitation, a touchscreen, touchpad, keyboard, keypad,trackball, one or more microphones, camera, buttons, switches, etc. Theoutput device(s) 554 may include, without limitation, a display unit(e.g., touchscreen, LCD display, etc.), light(s), speaker(s), audiojack(s) (e.g., headset jacks, including microphone), etc. The one ormore network modules 556 may include, without limitation, a 3G mobilenetwork transceiver, 4G mobile network transceiver, LTE mobile networktransceiver, Wi-Fi transceiver, RFID reader, Bluetooth transceiver, NearField Communication (NFC) transceiver, Ethernet adapter, etc. In someembodiments, at least one of the network modules 556 may be configuredto access network 126 via network subsystem 120 or to access acommunication network via communications subsystem 180. The one or moreprocessing devices may include, without limitation, a microprocessor,microcontroller, small board computer, or system on a chip (SoC) (e.g.,Qualcomm Snapdragon, Nvidia Tegra, Intel Atom, Samsung Exynos, Apple A7,Motorola X8, etc.). The one or more power supply ports 558 may include,without limitation, one or more USB charging ports, a two-prong orthree-prong AC power outlet (e.g., providing current limited AC power at120 V, 60 Hz), etc.

User interface subsystem 150 may enhance users' access to communicationnetworks in several ways. In some embodiments, user interface subsystem150 may provide users access to communication networks (e.g., theInternet) via network module(s) 556. For example, a user may provideinputs via user input device(s) 552 to control a web browser or othernetwork-based application executing on processing device(s) 557, whichmay access a communication network via network module(s) 556. The dataobtained from the communication network may be processed by processingdevice(s) 557 and provided to the user via output device(s) 554. Asanother example, a user may connect a computing device (e.g., a mobilecomputing device) to user interface subsystem 150 via a network module556 (e.g., a Wi-Fi access point), and access a communication network viaanother network module 556 (e.g., a mobile network transceiver), viacommunications subsystem 180, or via network 126. As yet anotherexample, users may charge mobile computing devices via power supplyport(s) 558, and access communication networks through the chargeddevices.

In some embodiments, PCS 100 includes an assisted listening unit thattransmits the PCS's audio outputs to hearing assistance devices (e.g.,hearing aids, Cochlear implants, etc.) within the assisted listeningunit's range via a “hearing loop” (e.g., an “audio induction loop” or“audio-frequency induction loop”). The assisted listening unit mayinclude a loop coil and a loop amplifier adapted to drive amplifiedsignals into the loop coil, thereby creating a magnetic field thatdelivers the amplified signals to hearing assistance devices within theunit's range. The loop coil may be included in or located proximate touser interface subsystem 150, or disposed at another suitable locationin, on, or near PCS 100.

In some embodiments, user interface subsystem 150 includes an interfacefor adjusting the assisted listening unit (e.g., for increasing ordecreasing the signal strength or range of the assisted listening unit).The assisted listening unit's interface may include, without limitation,one or more buttons, dials, switches, and/or software-based interfaces.By adjusting the assisted listening unit, a user may control the rangeof the assisted listening unit and/or the volume of the audio outputprovided by the assisted listening unit.

In some embodiments, user interface subsystem 150 includes interfacecomponents for placing a phone call. User interface subsystem mayimplement the phone calls using voice-over-IP (VOIP) technology. Theuser's speech may be captured via the user interface subsystem'smicrophone, and the speech of other parties to the phone call may beprovided via the user interface subsystem's speaker(s). In someembodiments, the user interface subsystem 150 permits users to placephone calls to emergency responders (e.g., E911 calls). The E911 callsmay be placed using VOIP technology (e.g., via a network module 556 ofuser interface 150, via communications subsystem 180, or via network126) or another suitable technology.

In some embodiments, the user input devices 552 include a microphonesystem, and the processing device 557 is able to perform noisecancellation on the microphone system. It can be appreciated that thePCS may be located in an environment with high levels of ambient streetnoise. The processing device 557 may perform a noise cancelling processthat distinguishes the user's speech from the background noise andremoves at least some of the background noise from the audio stream.When a user plugs in a headset that contains a microphone, the noisecancellation technique may also detect and remove background noisepicked up by the headset's microphone.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary schematic of the user interface subsystem 150,in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments, user interfacesubsystem 150 includes one or more processing devices 600. Theprocessing device(s) 600 may include, without limitation, amicroprocessor, microcontroller, small-board computer, system on a chip(SoC) (e.g., Qualcomm Snapdragon, Nvidia Tegra, Intel Atom, SamsungExynos, Apple A7, Motorola X8, etc.), or other suitable processingdevice. The processing device(s) 600 may communicate with othercomponents of PCS 100 via network subsystem 120. In some embodiments,processing device(s) 600 are powered by power distribution subsystem110.

In the example of FIG. 6, user interface subsystem 150 includes a keypad601, headset jack 602, speaker 603, two microphones (604, 605), and anE911 button 606, all of which are coupled to the processing device(s)600. Processing device(s) 600 may be adapted to initiate an E911communication when E911 button 606 is pressed, and to send and receiveE911 messages via a wireless communication module 607 (e.g., a 3G, 4G,or LTE mobile network transceiver, including a suitable antenna, whichmay be located proximate to the top of the PCS).

In some embodiments, the E911 button contains an indicator. One exampleof the indicator is an illumination ring. The illumination ring may helpa user to locate the button at night, and/or may flash when a userpresses the button to indicate a E911 call is in progress.

In the example of FIG. 6, user interface subsystem 150 includes atouchscreen 612, display 614, camera 616, hearing loop coil 618, hearingloop amplifier 619, and USB charging port(s) 620. In some embodiments,the touchscreen 612, display 614, camera 616, and hearing loop coil 618may be packaged together in a tablet computing device 610. The USBcharging port(s) 620 and hearing loop amplifier 619 may be powered bypower distribution subsystem 110.

Returning to FIG. 1, temperature control subsystem 160 controls thetemperature within PCS 100. For example, temperature control subsystem160 may cool the components of PCS 100. Some of the PCS's componentsgenerate heat and the PCS 100 may absorb heat from its environment(e.g., via radiation or convection), particularly when the ambienttemperature is high or the PCS is exposed to direct sunlight. Extremeheat can interfere with the operation of the PCS or even permanentlydamage some of the PCS's components.

Alternatively or in addition, temperature control system 160 may, underappropriate conditions, heat the components of PCS 100. Some PCSs may belocated in cold environments (e.g., outdoors in regions with coldambient temperatures). Like extreme heat, extreme cold can interferewith the PCS's operation or damage its components.

Temperature control subsystem 160 may include one or more componentssuitable for heating and/or cooling the PCS. In some embodiments,temperature control subsystem 160 includes one or more fans operable tocirculate ambient air through the PCS, which can cool the PCS. In someembodiments, the PCS 100 includes one or more heat sinks, and theambient air circulated by temperature control subsystem 160 passesproximate to the heat sink(s). In some embodiments, temperature controlsubsystem 160 includes one or more fans operable to recirculate air inportions (e.g., airtight compartments) of PCS 100, which can facilitatethe transfer of heat from those portions of the PCS to other regions ofthe PCS and/or to the ambient environment. The fans may be single-speedfans or variable-speed fans. In some embodiments, temperature controlsubsystem 160 includes one or more heaters, which can heat the PCS. Insome embodiments, one or more fans and/or heaters are located apart fromtemperature control subsystem 160, but controlled by the temperaturecontrol subsystem.

Temperature control subsystem 160 may control the PCS's temperature bycontrolling the operation of the fan(s) and/or heater(s). In someembodiments, temperature control subsystem 160 controls the PCS'stemperature based, at least in part, on the temperature inside or in anarea proximate to the PCS. Temperature control subsystem 160 may obtaintemperature information regarding the temperature in or near PCS 100from one or more temperature sensors. The temperature sensors may belocated inside the PCS, on an outer surface of the PCS, proximate to thePCS, and/or in any other suitable location. Temperature controlsubsystem 160 may include one or more sensor drivers that can activatethe sensor(s) and obtain temperature measurements from the sensor(s).Alternatively or in addition, temperature control subsystem may obtaintemperature information regarding the temperature in the vicinity of thePCS from a suitable source (e.g., a website) via a communication network(e.g., network 126).

In some embodiments, the temperature control system 160 adds or removesactive fans (e.g. switches fans on or off) in specific areas of the PCSbased on the temperature sensor information. For example, active fansmay be added when the ambient temperature is high (e.g., above athreshold). Conversely, active fans may be removed when the ambienttemperature is low (e.g., below a threshold) to reduce power usage. Thefans may be organized in addressable groups to facilitate addition andremoval of active fans.

In some embodiments, the temperature control subsystem 160 uses afeedback-based control system (e.g., a feedback loop) to control thespeeds of the fans. The fans may include tachometers, and the tachometeroutputs may be fed back to the temperature control subsystem, which mayuse the tachometer outputs to determine the speeds of the fans. Inaddition to adding and removing active fans, the temperature controlsubsystem 160 may increase the speeds of the fans as the internaltemperature increases or decrease the speeds of the fans as thetemperature decreases.

In some embodiments, the temperature control subsystem 160 uses the fantachometer output to determine whether a fan fault has occurred. Forexample, the temperature control subsystem 160 may detect a fan faultwhen the tachometer output indicates that there is little or no fanrotation (e.g., the rate of fan rotation is below a threshold). When afan fault is detected, the PCS may notify the maintenance center of thefault, so the PCS can be serviced to replace or repair the faulty fan.

In some embodiments, temperature control subsystem 160 controls thePCS's temperature based on environmental information, which may includetemperature information and/or other information associated with thePCS's environment. For example, environmental information may includesunlight information indicating whether the PCS is exposed to directsunlight. Sunlight information may be obtained from a camera or othersuitable optical sensor. Alternatively or in addition, environmentalinformation may include humidity information indicating the humiditylevels in the PCS's environment, time-of-day information indicating thecurrent time at the PCS's location, weather information indicating theweather in the PCS's environment, etc.

Based on the environmental information, temperature control subsystem160 may control the fan(s) and/or heater(s) to adjust the PCS'stemperature. In some embodiments, temperature control subsystem 160 mayactivate one or more heaters when the PCS's temperature is below a lowerthreshold temperature, and/or activate one or more fans when the PCS'stemperature is above an upper threshold temperature. In someembodiments, the number of heater units and/or fans activated bytemperature control subsystem 160 is determined based on theenvironmental information. In some embodiments, the settings of theactivated heaters and/or fans (e.g., the fan speeds, the heatertemperatures, etc.) may be determined based on the environmentalinformation. In some embodiments, if the temperature in the PCS isdetermined to be outside a safe operating range, temperature controlsubsystem may instruct power distribution subsystem 110 to deactivatethe PCS or at least one component thereof.

Display subsystem 170 includes one or more display modules, each ofwhich includes at least one display device. The display device mayinclude, without limitation, a liquid crystal display (LCD),light-emitting diode (LED) display, organic light-emitting diode (OLED)display, cathode ray tube (CRT), electroluminescent display (ELD),electronic paper/electronic ink display (e.g., a bi-stable ormulti-stable electrophoretic or electro-wetting display), plasmadisplay, thin-film transistor (TFT) display, 3D display (e.g.,volumetric display, holographic display, integral imaging display,compressive light field display, etc.), stereoscopic display, etc. Insome embodiments, display subsystem 170 includes two display modulesdisposed on opposite sides of the PCS, such that the modules' displaydevices face in opposite directions.

A display device may display suitable information, including, withoutlimitation, news information, weather information, emergency information(e.g., instructions for dealing with an emergency, evacuation routes,etc.), travel information (e.g., traffic conditions, road conditions,speed limits, alternative route information, public transit schedules,locations of and/or directions to public transportation facilities,etc.), tourism information (e.g., locations of and/or directions topopular tourist attractions), advertisements, etc. The displayedinformation may be displayed in one or more suitable formats, including,without limitation, text, still images, and/or video. Display subsystem170 may include one or more processing devices adapted to control thedisplay of information by the display device(s). For example, eachdisplay module may include a processing device adapted to control thedisplay module's display device.

In some embodiments, display subsystem 170 includes one or more cameras.For example, each display module may include one or more cameras.Display subsystem 170 may use the cameras to determine the ambient lightlevels, and may adjust the brightness of the display device(s)accordingly. For example, if the ambient light level at the PCS is high(e.g., because the sun is shining on the PCS), display subsystem 170 mayincrease the brightness of the display(s) (e.g., by increasing thebrightness of the display backlight(s)), so that the displayedinformation is readily viewable by onlookers or passers-by. On the otherhand, if the ambient light level at the PCS is low, display subsystem170 may decrease the brightness of the display(s), to reduce the displaysubsystem's power usage and/or heat generation. In some embodiments, thebrightness levels of the PCS's displays may be controlled independently.

Alternatively or in addition, display subsystem 170 may use the camerasto obtain information about “potential viewers” (e.g., people viewingthe PCS, viewing a display device of the PCS, using the PCS, and/or inthe vicinity of the PCS). In some embodiments, display subsystem 170 maydetermine, based on images of the area proximate to the PCS (e.g.,images acquired by the PCS's camera(s)), a potential viewer's apparentdemographic information, including, without limitation, age, sex,race/ethnicity, etc. In some embodiments, display subsystem 170 may usefacial-recognition techniques to determine a potential viewer'sidentity.

Display subsystem 170 may use information about the PCS's potentialviewers to select the information to be displayed by the displaydevice(s) (e.g., to select advertisements for display based on theidentities or demographics of the potential viewers). Alternatively orin addition, display subsystem 170 may track the identities and/ordemographics of the potential viewers who have been in the vicinity ofthe PCS when particular advertisements have been displayed. Trackinginformation about potential viewers of advertisements and/or controllingthe display of advertisements based on information about the potentialviewers may increase the value of the PCS's advertising impressions topotential advertisers.

Display subsystem 170 may obtain information about a potential viewerfrom the potential viewer, from analysis of images of the potentialviewer, and/or from the potential viewer's computing device (e.g.,smartphone). For example, a potential viewer who connects to acommunication network through a PCS 100 (e.g., via user interfacesubsystem 150 or via the user's computing device) may provideauthentication data (e.g., a username, password, and/or othercredentials), and the PCS may use that authentication data to access thepotential viewer's account information, which may identify the potentialviewer and/or provide information about the potential viewer (e.g., thepotential viewer's attributes and/or interests). The potential viewermay have provided such information when registering for access to thePCS (or set of PCSs), or the PCS may have inferred such informationbased on the potential viewer's activities on the communication network.

Even if potential viewers do not register for PCS access, informationabout a potential viewer's attributes and/or interests can still beinferred based on the potential viewer's activities, and thisinformation can be tracked in connection with information identifyingthe potential viewer's computing device (e.g., a mobile device's phonenumber, mobile equipment identifier (MEID), or unique device identifier(UDID); a computing device's media access control (MAC) address; etc.).In some embodiments, a PCS 100 may identify a potential viewer orattributes thereof based on identifying information transmitted by thepotential viewer's computing device when the computing device is withinrange of the PCS, even if the computing device is not connected to anetwork via the PCS 100.

FIG. 7 is a schematic of a display module 700, in accordance with someembodiments. In some embodiments, a PCS 100 includes two display modules700. In some embodiments, a display module 700 includes one or moreprocessing device(s) 710. Each processing device 710 may include,without limitation, a microprocessor, microcontroller, small-boardcomputer, system on a chip (SoC) (e.g., Qualcomm Snapdragon, NvidiaTegra, Intel Atom, Samsung Exynos, Apple A7, Motorola X8, etc.), orother suitable processing device. The processing device(s) 710 maycommunicate with other components of PCS 100 via network subsystem 120.In some embodiments, each processing device 710 is powered by powerdistribution subsystem 110. In the example of FIG. 7, display module 700also includes a display device 720. Display device 720 may include adisplay panel 721, ambient light sensor 722, two cameras (723, 724),temperature sensor 725, frame rate controller 726, power/backlightcontroller 727, and one or more fans 728.

In some embodiments, the processing device 710 is able to read theambient light sensor 722 and send a control signal to thepower/backlight controller 727. One example of the control signal is apulse width modulated (PWM) output. In response to the ambient lightsensor 722 detecting the presence of high ambient light, the duty cycleof the PWM signal may be increased, thereby causing the power/backlightcontroller to increase the backlight brightness, so that the displayimage is viewable in bright sunlight. Those skilled in the art canappreciate that the PWM control signal may be digital or converted to ananalog output via a digital to analog converter.

Returning to FIG. 1, communications subsystem 180 includes one or morecommunication modules. In some embodiments, the communication module(s)include one or more radio access nodes. The radio access node(s) mayinclude small cells (e.g., low-power radio access nodes with rangesbetween roughly 10 m and 1-2 km, including, but not limited to,femtocells, picocells, and microcells), macrocells (e.g., radio accessnodes with ranges of up to a few tens of kilometers), etc. The radioaccess node(s) may reduce congestion in mobile data networks (e.g., 3G,4G, or LTE networks) by expanding network capacity and offloadingtraffic from more congested portions of the network to the portions ofthe network associated with the radio access node(s). In areas wheremobile data networks are highly congested (e.g., portions of New YorkCity, and particularly portions of Manhattan), deploying PCSs with radioaccess node(s) in an area where mobile data networks are congested may,in some embodiments, greatly reduce network congestion and improvequality of service for many network users.

In some embodiments, communications subsystem 180 includes at least onewireless access point. Computing devices may connect to the wirelessaccess point using a suitable wireless adapter, including, withoutlimitation, a Wi-Fi or WiMAX adapter. Through the wireless access point,communications subsystem 180 may provide access to a local area network(LAN) or wide area network (WAN) (e.g., network 126, or a 3G, 4G, or LTEnetwork accessed via the communications subsystem's radio accessnode(s)). PCS operators may use the wireless access points to providewireless broadband network access to individuals, subscribers,communities, etc. Use of the wireless access points may further improvethe quality of service on mobile data networks by offloading some usersfrom the mobile data networks to the wireless access point.

Returning to FIG. 1, mounting subsystem 190 includes a mounting devicethat releasably secures the PCS to a support (e.g., a footing). Themounting device may be adapted to break when a shear force above apredetermined value is applied to the mounting device, thereby allowingthe PCS to move. Such releasable mounting can reduce the damage causedto people and property when an automobile collides with the PCS.

PCS 100 may include compartments and components of PCS 100 may bedisposed in the compartments. FIG. 8 illustrates an arrangement ofcompartments of a PCS 100, according to some embodiments. Forconvenience, the PCS's top portion 805 and base portion 806 areidentified in FIG. 8, as is the PCS's height 807.

In the example of FIG. 8, PCS 100 includes mounting compartment 890,electronics compartment 840, user interface compartment 850, air intakecompartment 865, display compartment 870, and communications compartment880. Electronics compartment 840 may enclose electronics subsystem 140.User interface compartment 850, display compartment 870, andcommunications compartment 880 may enclose user interface subsystem 150,display subsystem 170, and communications subsystem 180, respectively.In some embodiments, display compartment 870 may enclose, in addition todisplay subsystem 870, one or more heat sinks Mounting compartment 890may enclose at least a portion of a mounting subsystem 190.

Air intake compartment 865 may enclose at least portions of temperaturecontrol subsystem 160. In some embodiments, air intake compartment 865may enclose one or more fans, which may draw ambient air into the airintake area. In some embodiments, the one or more fans may also draw airinto the air intake area from electronics compartment 840. The fans maymove the air through display compartment 870 (e.g., across one or moreheat sinks), and the air may be discharged through an exhaust incommunications compartment 880. In some embodiments, air intakecompartment 865 may enclose one or more heaters.

In the example of FIG. 8, communications compartment 880 is locatedproximate to the top 805 of the PCS, display compartment 870 is disposedalong an upper portion of the PCS and below communications compartment880, and an air intake compartment 865 is located proximate to a middleportion of the PCS (in the direction of the PCS's height) and belowdisplay compartment 870. Mounting compartment 890 is located proximate abase 806 of the PCS, electronics compartment 840 is disposed along alower portion of the PCS between mounting compartment 890 and air intakecompartment 865, and user interface compartment 850 is disposed along alower portion of the PCS adjacent to air intake compartment 865 andelectronics compartment 840.

Embodiments of a PCS are not limited by the compartmentalization schemeillustrated in FIG. 8. A PCS may include none of the compartmentsillustrated in FIG. 8, any combination of the compartments illustratedin FIG. 8, and/or other compartments not illustrated in FIG. 8. In caseswhere a PCS includes a compartment illustrated in FIG. 8 (e.g., mountingcompartment 890, electronics compartment 840, user interface compartment850, air intake compartment 865, display compartment 870, orcommunications compartment 880), the location and/or shape of thatcompartment may differ from the location and/or shape of thecorresponding compartment in FIG. 8. In some embodiments, a PCS mayinclude a compartment that encloses two or more PCS subsystems that areenclosed by different compartments in the example of FIG. 8. In someembodiments, a PCS may include separate compartments enclosingrespective portions of a PCS subsystem that is enclosed by a singlecompartment in the example of FIG. 8. In some embodiments, a PCS mayinclude a compartment that encloses other compartments.

FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C show respective front perspective, side, andexploded front perspective views of a PCS 100, in accordance with someembodiments. For convenience, the PCS's top portion 805 and base portion806 are identified in FIGS. 9A-9B, as are the PCS's height 807, width908, and length 909.

As can be seen in FIG. 9C, PCS 100 may include a frame 1000. The frame1000 is (or is part of) a structural system that supports the componentsof PCS 100. In some embodiments, the frame 1000 forms portions of thePCS's compartments (e.g., communications compartment 880, displaycompartment 870, air intake compartment 865, user interface compartment850, electronics compartment 840, and mounting compartment 890).

As can further be seen in FIG. 9C, communications compartment 880 mayinclude a radio access node 981, a wireless access point 983, and/or oneor more antennas. The bottom of communications compartment 880 may beformed by a portion of frame 1000, and the top and sides ofcommunications compartment 880 may be formed by a removable cap 985.

Display compartment 870 may include a heat sink 903 and a display module700. In some embodiments, display compartment 870 includes a seconddisplay module (and, optionally, a second heat sink) arrangedback-to-back (e.g., in parallel) with display module 700 and heat sink903, such that display module 700 and the second display module face inopposite directions.

Air intake compartment 865 may include an air intake assembly 967. Theair intake assembly 967 may include a grill, a filter, and a fanassembly. User interface compartment 850 may include a user interfacedevice 951. The user interface device 951 may include a table computer,keypad, an emergency call button, microphone(s), speakers, and a mobiledevice charging port. Electronics compartment 840 may include anelectronics cabinet 941, and may be formed by portions of frame 1000 anda cover panel 943. Mounting compartment 890 may at least partiallyenclose mounting subsystem 190, and may be formed by portions of frame1000 and a cover panel 991.

FIGS. 10A-10C show the frame 1000 of a PCS 100, according to someembodiments, and illustrate how the frame 1000 partially forms the PCS'scompartments. In some embodiments, the frame 1000 is the frame of amonocoque structure, wherein the frame supports the components, formsthe compartments and is also the outer face (or “skin”) of portions ofthe PCS (e.g., the user interface compartment 850 and the opposing side1050 of the PCS). This approach may simplify construction by reducingthe number of brackets, mounting accessories, part count, etc.

In another embodiment, the frame 1000 is that of a traditionalstructure, and the outer skins are attached to the frame. In suchembodiments, the frame supports the components of the PCS, forms thecompartments of the PCS, and acts as a rigid structural chassis. Oneadvantage of this approach is field replaceability. If an outer skin isdamaged (e.g., by vandalism or by ordinary wear and tear), the damagedskin can be replaced with a new skin. As long as the frame remainsuncompromised, damaged outer skins can be removed, replaced, and(optionally) sent to a service facility for refurbishing. Refurbishingmethods may include removing dents and/or scratches, sanding, texturing,reshaping, and/or re-painting. Skins that are not suitable forrefurbishing (e.g., due to extensive damage) may be recycled and turnedinto new parts.

As can be seen in FIGS. 10A-10C, frame 1000 may include a bottom member1001 a, a lower front member 1001 b, a cross-frame member 1001 c, anupper front member 1001 d, a rear member 1001 e, and a top member 1001f. In the example of FIGS. 10A-10C, lower portions of lower front member1001 b and rear member 1001 e are joined to opposite sides of bottommember 1001 a. One side of cross-frame member 1001 c is joined to anupper portion of lower front member 1001 b and a lower portion of upperfront member 1001 d. The opposite side of cross-frame member 1001 c isjoined to rear member 1001 e proximate to a midpoint between the rearmember's top and base ends. The upper portions of upper front member1001 d and rear member 1001 e are joined to opposite sides of top member1001 f.

In the example of FIGS. 10A-10C, top member 1001 f and the upper portionof upper front member 1001 d form a bottom and a side of communicationscompartment 880. Two sides of display compartment 870 are formed byupper front member 1001 d and rear member 1001 e, and the top and bottomof display compartment 870 are formed by top member 1001 f andcross-frame member 1001 c, respectively. Cross-frame member 1001 c formsthe top, bottom, and two sides of air intake compartment 865. Userinterface compartment 850 is formed in part by the bottom portion ofupper front member 1001 d, the top portion of lower front member 1001 b,and a side of cross-frame member 1001 c. Two sides of electronicscompartment 840 are formed by lower front member 1001 b and the lowerportion of rear member 1001 e, and the top and bottom of electronicscompartment 840 are formed by cross-frame member 1001 c and bottommember 1001 a, respectively. Bottom member 1001 a forms mountingcompartment 890.

Embodiments of frame 1000 are not limited by the configuration shown inFIGS. 10A-10C. As can be seen in FIG. 11, which shows afront-perspective view of a portion of PCS 100, some embodiments offrame 1000 further include one or more cross-frame members 1001 gcoupled to upper front member 1001 d and an upper portion of rear member1001 e to form an I-beam. In some embodiments, cross-frame member(s)1001 g may include one or more ribbed heat sinks 1161. A ribbed heatsink 1161 may include a substantially planar member 1163 and fins 1162extending from the substantially planar member 1163 (e.g., in one ormore directions substantially perpendicular to the surface of thesubstantially planar member).

Frame 1000 may facilitate cooling of the PCS's compartments. In someembodiments, one or more (e.g., all) members of frame 1000 may haverelatively high thermal conductivity (e.g., average thermal conductivityof at least 90, 100, 110, or 120 Btu/(hr*° F.*ft)). When the temperaturewithin a PCS compartment is greater than the ambient temperature in thearea proximate to the PCS, the frame member(s) with relatively highthermal conductivity may function as heat sinks (including, but notlimited to, cross-frame member(s) 1001 g), such that heat from thecompartments is transferred to the PCS's ambient environment through theframe member(s). The member(s) of frame 1000 with relatively highthermal conductivity may substantially consist of materials withrelatively high thermal conductivity, including, without limitation,aluminum, thermal pyrolytic graphite, silicon carbide, etc. For example,one or more member(s) of frame 1000 may substantially consist ofaluminum.

Members of frame 1000 may be manufactured using suitable techniques. Insome embodiments, bottom member 1001 a, lower front member 1001 b,cross-frame member 1001 c, cross-frame member(s) 1001 g, and/or topmember 1001 f may be metal castings. In some embodiments, upper frontmember 1001 d and/or rear member 1001 e may be extruded metal, polymer,composite, etc.

Referring to FIGS. 12A-12C, portions of a PCS's frame 1000 and/orcompartments may be covered by ribbed panels 1200. The ribbed panels1200 may discourage vandalism of PCS 100, since the panel ribs mightoffer a less appealing target for drawing, painting, or etching thanother, smoother surfaces. In addition, the ribbed panels may beswappable, as shown in FIG. 12B, such that a damaged or vandalized panelcould be quickly replaced with a pristine panel.

Referring to FIG. 12C, a ribbed panel 1200 may include a substantiallyplanar member 1202 and a set of ribs 1204 extending from the planarmember. In some embodiments, the angle 1206 between the outer surface ofa rib and the outer surface of the planar member is betweenapproximately 95° and 115°. In some embodiments, the thickness 1208 of arib 1204 at the rib's base may be between approximately 0.25″ and 0.5″and the width 1210 of a rib 1204 may be between approximately 0.3″ and0.6″. Other dimensions may be used.

Controlling Access to Components of a PCS

In some embodiments, one or more of the compartments of a personalcommunication structure (PCS) 100 may be secured. Securing a PCS'scompartments may protect the PCS's components from vandalism, theft, anddamage (e.g., from unwanted handling or exposure to the ambientenvironment), protect people from safety hazards (e.g., electricalhazards), and/or prevent unauthorized parties from accessing the PCS'scomponents.

Nevertheless, from time to time it may be necessary or desirable forauthorized parties to access the components enclosed in a PCS'scompartments. For example, it may be desirable for an authorized partyto access a PCS subsystem to perform maintenance, to perform tests, torepair or replace a component, to adjust a component's settings, etc. Insome cases, it may be desirable for one party to have access to one setof PCS components and for another party to have access to another set ofPCS components, without either party having access to both sets ofcomponents. More generally, it may be desirable for different parties tohave access only to specified subsets of the PCS's components. Forexample, it may be desirable for an electricians' union to have accessto the PCS's power distribution subsystem 110, so that the union'selectricians can maintain or repair the power distribution subsystem,but there may be no reason for the electricians to have access to anyother PCS components. Likewise, it may be desirable for atelecommunications company's personnel to have access to the PCS'scommunications subsystem 180, but there may be no reason for thecompany's personnel to have access to any other PCS components.

FIG. 13 illustrates a system 1300 for controlling access to componentsof a PCS, according to some embodiments. Access-control system 1300 mayindependently secure at least a subset of the compartments of a PCS 100(e.g., access-control system 1300 may apply different security measuresto different compartments in the subset, which may include requiringusers to provide different authentication tokens and/or information toaccess different compartments in the subset). The independently securedcompartments may be independently accessible (e.g., the interior of anycompartment in the subset may be accessed without accessing theinteriors of other compartments in the subset). Providing independentlysecured and independently accessible compartments may facilitate thetask of maintaining overall security, while granting different partiesaccess to different sets of PCS components. Some techniques for securingand controlling access to the PCS's compartments are described infurther detail below.

In some embodiments, access-control system 1300 includes one or morecompartment locks (e.g., locks 1302 a-f) and one or more compartmentaccess members (e.g., access members 1304 a-f) associated with one ormore respective compartments (e.g., electronics compartment 840, airintake compartment 865, display compartment 870, communicationscompartment 880, mounting compartment 890, and user interfacecompartment 850). When a compartment lock 1302 is engaged, the lockfastens or otherwise secures the corresponding access member 1304 in aclosed position, such that the interior of the corresponding compartmentis inaccessible. When a compartment lock 1302 is disengaged, thecorresponding access member 1304 is movable between the closed positionand an open position, such that the corresponding compartment isaccessible.

The compartment locks 1302 may include, without limitation, mechanicallocks, electronic locks, electromechanical locks, etc. Non-limitingexamples of mechanical locks include warded locks, tumbler locks (e.g.,pin tumbler locks, wafer tumbler locks, disc tumbler locks, levertumbler locks), combination locks, security fasteners (e.g., “security”or “tamper-proof” screws, bolts, anchors, nuts), etc. A securityfastener may have an atypical shape and/or atypical dimensions relativeto commercially available fasteners of the same type. For example, ascan be seen in FIG. 14, a security fastener 1400 may be a machine screw1402 with an atypical screw drive 1404 or head configuration. A securityfastener can generally be unlocked or unfastened using a specializedtool that conforms to or otherwise accommodates the fastener's atypicalshape and/or dimensions. Other mechanical locks can generally be openedwith physical keys or a combination code.

Non-limiting examples of electronic or electromechanical locks includekeycard locks, RFID locks, smart locks, cyber locks, etc. A keycard lockcan generally be unlocked by presenting a suitable security token (e.g.,a keycard with appropriate key data) to a keycard reader. Likewise, anRFID lock can generally be unlocked by presenting a suitable securitytoken (e.g., an RFID tag with appropriate key data) to an RFID reader. Asmart lock can generally be unlocked by presenting suitableauthentication data to an access controller 1310, which confirms thevalidity of the authentication data and disengages the lock.Non-limiting examples of authentication data include biometric data(e.g., fingerprint data, retinal scan data, voice print data or otherspeech-based data, etc.), security credentials (e.g., username,password, personal identification number (PIN), etc.) cryptographicdata, etc.

A cyber lock generally includes an electronic cylinder that can beunlocked by inserting a suitable cyber key. A cyber key is generally anelectronic key that can communicate with a cyber lock to engage anddisengage the cyber lock's cylinder. In some cases, a cyber key mayprovide power to the cyber lock. In some cases, a cyber key may containinternal memory that stores security information, which may include butis not limited to: one or more encrypted access codes, informationidentifying one or more PCS structures the key can access, dates andtimes when the key is authorized to access a particular PCS or set ofPCSs, and/or date/time ranges when the key is authorized to access aparticular PCS or set of PCSs. In some cases, a cyber key may be capableof disabling access to the security information and/or deleting thesecurity information in response to input signals (e.g., input signalsreceived wirelessly from a remote service center, indicating that thekey has been lost or stolen). A cyber key's security information (e.g.,schedules, credentials, authorizations, permissions, etc.) generally maybe updated using wireless communications (e.g., Bluetooth and/or Wi-Fi)when connected to an authorized network. In some embodiments, a cyberkey associated with a PCS 100 may connect to an authorized networkthrough the PCS 100 (e.g., via the communications subsystem 180). Someof the above examples of cyber keys may contain an internal rechargeablebattery that powers the cyber lock when the key is inserted into thelock. In some cases, a cyber key may communicate with a cyber lock(e.g., when the key is inserted into the lock). Such communication mayoccur wirelessly or via a wired connection (e.g., a USB interface).

Some examples of commercially available electronic or electromechanicallocks include electromagnetic locks, electric latch releases,electronically-actuated deadbolts, motorized locks and solenoid locks.

In some embodiments, an electronic or electromechanical lock includes alocking mechanism and an actuator. Non-limiting examples of lockingmechanisms include deadbolts, latches, electromagnets, etc. Non-limitingexamples of actuators include solenoid drivers, rotary actuators, linearactuators (e.g., a linear actuator that moves a deadbolt or unlatches alatch), electromagnets, cams, levers, etc.

Returning to FIG. 13, access-control system 1300 may include an accesscontroller 1310 and a security interface 1320. In some embodiments,access controller 1310 controls one or more actuators for one or morecompartments, and uses the appropriate actuator to disengage acorresponding lock 1302 and/or open a corresponding access member 1304upon provision of suitable authentication data. For example, when a userprovides the appropriate authentication data for display compartment870, access controller 1310 may drive an actuator to disengage lock 1302c, and (optionally) open compartment 870 by driving an actuator to moveaccess member 1304 c. In some embodiments, the authentication data isprovided to access controller 1310 by security interface 1320 (e.g., vianetwork subsystem 120). In some embodiments, authentication data isprovided to access controller 1310 over a communication network (e.g.,via network subsystem 120 and/or communication subsystem 180).

In some embodiments, access controller 1310 includes one or moreprocessing devices 1510 and one or more actuator drivers 1520, as shownin FIG. 15. The processing device(s) 1510 and actuator driver(s) 1520may be powered by power distribution subsystem 110. Processing device(s)1510 may include, without limitation, a microprocessor, microcontroller,small-board computer, system on a chip (SoC) (e.g., Qualcomm Snapdragon,Nvidia Tegra, Intel Atom, Samsung Exynos, Apple A7, Motorola X8, etc.),or other suitable processing device.

Actuator driver(s) 1520 may include hardware (e.g., I/O ports) and/orsoftware (e.g., driver software) controlled by processing device(s) 1510and adapted to communicate with actuators (e.g., the actuators of locks1302 and/or access members 1304). In some embodiments, access controller1310 engages a lock 1302 and/or disengages a lock 1302 by sendingsuitable control signals to the lock's actuator via an actuator driver1520. In some embodiments, access controller 1310 opens an access member1304 and/or closes an access member 1304 by sending suitable controlsignals to the access member's actuator via an actuator driver 1520. Insome embodiments, access controller 1310 determines whether a lock 1302is engaged or disengaged, or determines whether an access member 1304 isopen or closed, by sending a suitable query to the correspondingactuator, which may reply to the query by sending data to processingdevice(s) 1510 indicating the actuator's state. In some embodiments,when access controller 1310 detects closure of a compartment's accessmember 1304, access controller 1310 may engage the compartment's lock1302.

An embodiment has been described in which access controller 1310includes one or more processing device(s) 1510. In some embodiments,access controller 1310 is implemented on one or more processing devicesof a subsystem of PCS 100. Access controller 1310 may, for example, beimplemented on the maintenance subsystem's processing device(s) 600,which may be equipped with suitable actuator driver(s) 1520.

A user may provide authentication data to access controller 1310 viasecurity interface 1320. Security interface 1320 may include a keycardreader, RFID reader, keyboard, keypad, touchscreen, fingerprint scanner,retinal scanner, camera, microphone, data access port, and/or othersuitable data input device. The keycard reader and RFID reader can beused to read authentication data from a keycard and an RFID tag,respectively. The keyboard, keypad, or touchscreen can be used to entersecurity credentials. The fingerprint scanner, retinal scanner, camera,or microphone may be used to enter biometric data. The data access portmay be used to upload authentication data, including but not limited tocryptographic keys. In the example of FIG. 15, security interface 1320is configured to send the user-provided authentication data to accesscontroller 1310 via network subsystem 120. In some embodiments, securityinterface 1320 includes a processing device adapted to encrypt theuser-provided authentication data before sending the data to accesscontroller 1310. In some embodiments, security interface 1320 sends theauthentication data to access controller 1310 via a dedicated link thatis not part of network subsystem 120. Alternatively or in addition, auser may provide authentication data to access controller 1310 over acommunication network (e.g., network 126, or a network coupled tocommunication subsystem 180).

Access controller 1310 may analyze the user-provided authentication datato determine whether it is valid. In some embodiments, the userspecifies which compartment(s) the user is attempting to access andaccess controller 1310 analyzes the authentication data to determinewhether it is valid for the specified compartment(s). In someembodiments, the user provides authentication data without specifyingwhich compartment(s) the user is attempting to access and accesscontroller 1310 analyzes the authentication data to determine whether itis valid for any compartment. To determine whether the authenticationdata is valid, access controller 1310 may perform one or more suitableauthentication procedures (e.g., fingerprint matching, voiceprintmatching, retinal scan matching, username matching, password matching,PIN matching, one-factor authentication, two-factor authentication,multi-factor authentication, etc.).

In some embodiments, permission to access a compartment of the PCS 100may be remotely granted, denied, or revoked (e.g., by a remote servicecenter), and the grant, denial, or revocation of permission to accessthe compartment may be communicated to the access controller 1310 over acommunication network (e.g., network 126, a network coupled tocommunication subsystem 180, etc.). In some embodiments, the accesscontroller may acknowledge the grant, denial, or revocation ofpermission over the communication network.

The entity that grants, denies, or revokes permission to access acompartment of the PCS 100 may determine whether to grant, deny, orrevoke permission based on any suitable information. In someembodiments, the entity grants permission to access a compartment duringpredetermined time periods. For example, the entity may grant permissionto access a compartment during time periods specified by repair ormaintenance schedules for components located in the compartment. Asanother example, the entity may deny access to the display compartment870 for display subsystem 170 maintenance except during periodsgenerally characterized by low pedestrian foot traffic, such as earlymorning hours. It can be appreciated that during periods of highpedestrian foot traffic, it is desirable for the display subsystem 170to be showing advertisements. In some embodiments, the maintenancesubsystem 130 may communicate with the entity (e.g., a remote servicecenter). For example, the maintenance subsystem 130 may indicate to theentity whether (or when) maintenance or repair of a PCS component orsubsystem is recommended or permitted. In some embodiments, the entitygrants permission to access a compartment based on communication fromthe maintenance subsystem indicating that repair or maintenance of acomponent or subsystem in the compartment is recommended or permitted.For example, the maintenance subsystem 130 may indicate that repair orreplacement of a PCS component in a compartment is recommended inresponse to administering a diagnostic test (e.g., a self-test) anddetecting a fault. In some embodiments, the PCS 100 may senduser-provided authentication data to the entity, which may determinewhether the authentication data is valid for one or more compartmentsand grant permission to access the compartment(s) if the authenticationdata is determined to be valid.

In some embodiments, the PCS 100 may implement two-factor access controlbased on (1) user-provided authentication data and/or items (e.g.,security tokens, keys, etc.) and (2) a grant, denial, or revocation ofpermission to access a compartment. When two-factor access control isused, the grant, denial, or revocation of permission to access acompartment may function as a grant, denial, or revocation of permissionto allow authorized access to the compartment. When authorized access toa compartment is permitted, the access controller 1310 may allow userswho provide valid authentication data/item(s) for the compartment toaccess the interior of the compartment. When authorized access to acompartment is not permitted, the access controller 1310 may not allow auser to access the interior of the compartment, even if the userprovides valid authentication data/item(s) for the compartment. In otherwords, the PCS 100 may permit a user to access a PCS compartment if theuser provides suitable authentication data/item(s) and a remote entitygrants permission to access the compartment, but not if theauthentication data/item(s) are unsuitable nor if the remote entitydenies or revokes permission. For example, if a user providescompromised authentication data/item(s) (e.g., stolen authenticationdata or a lost/stolen key), the remote entity may determine that theauthentication data/item(s) are compromised, deny permission to accessthe compartment, and instruct the access controller 1310 to revoke theuser's privileges to access one or more compartments by disablingauthentication data/item(s) assigned to or in the possession of theuser.

In embodiments of the PCS 100 that implement two-factor access control,steps of the access control process may be performed in parallel and/orin any suitable sequence. In some embodiments, access controller 1310may send a message to a remote entity (e.g., service center) requestingpermission to allow authorized access to a compartment, and the remoteentity may then reply with a grant or denial of permission to allowauthorized access to the compartment. The access controller 1310 maysend such a request before a user provides authentication data/item(s)for the compartment, after the user provides the authenticationdata/item(s) but before the authentication data/item(s) are validated,or after the user-provided authentication data/item(s) are validated. Insome embodiments, a request to access a compartment is sent to theremote entity before a user attempts to gain access to the compartment(e.g., by providing authentication data/item(s)). After permission toallow authorized access to the compartment has been received by the PCS100 (and before such permission has been revoked), a user may gainaccess to the compartment by providing suitable authenticationdata/item(s).

In some embodiments, the access controller 1310 provides an indicationthat permission to access a compartment (or permission to allowauthorized access to a compartment) has been granted. For example, whenaccess permission has been granted (and not revoked), the accesscontroller 1310 may illuminate a light-emitting diode (e.g., a greenLED) to indicate that access (e.g., authorized access) to thecompartment is permitted. The indicator may be disposed in any suitablelocation, including, but not limited to, on the correspondingcompartment or on an electronic key provided by the user. In someembodiments, the access controller 1310 may activate an indicator on akey wirelessly (e.g., over a wireless network) or via a wired connection(e.g., when the key is inserted into an interface connector or lock).

In some embodiments, the PCS 100 may implement single-factor accesscontrol based on user-provided authentication data/item(s) or on agrant, denial, or revocation of permission to access a compartment. Forexample, the access controller 1310 may open or unlock a compartment inresponse to receiving a grant of permission to access the compartment,without requiring the user to provide authentication data/item(s). Insome embodiments, a user may transmit a code to a remote entity (e.g.,by emailing the code to an email address associated with the entity, bysending a text message to a phone number associated with the entity,etc.), and, after validating the code, the entity may grant permissionto access the compartment. In some embodiments, the user may transmitthe code via a mobile device that wirelessly connects to a networkthrough the PCS 100 (e.g., through an access node of the PCS 100). Insome embodiments, the entity identifies a compartment of the PCS 100 anddetermines whether to grant permission to access the compartment basedon the transmitted code, the email address/phone number to which thecode was transmitted, and/or the email address/phone number from whichthe code was sent. In some embodiments, the entity may use an automatedprocess to grant permission to access a compartment.

Access controller 1310 may detect and respond to attempts to gainunauthorized access to compartment(s) of PCS 100. In some embodiments,access controller 1310 determines that a user is attempting to gainunauthorized access to a PCS compartment if invalid authentication datais provided in more than N consecutive authentication attempts, where Nis a predetermined number. In some embodiments, access controller 1310determines that a user is attempting to gain unauthorized access to aPCS compartment (or has gained unauthorized access) if access controller1310 detects disengagement of the compartment's lock or opening of thecompartment's access member without a corresponding entry of thecompartment's authentication data.

When unauthorized access (or an attempt to gain unauthorized access) toa PCS compartment is detected, access controller 1310 may take remedialaction. In some embodiments, access controller 1310 collects evidence ofthe unauthorized access (or attempt) by activating a camera to acquireone or more images (e.g., still images or video) of a region proximateto the PCS. The acquired images may include images of the user who hasaccessed (or attempted to access) the PCS. In some embodiments, accesscontroller 1310 sounds an alarm, displays a message via displaysubsystem 170, initiates communication with a security provider, and/orperforms other suitable actions to draw attention and/or alertinterested parties to the unauthorized access. In some embodiments, whenunauthorized access to one or more compartments is detected, the accesscontroller silently alerts a remote security center (e.g., alerts theremote security center without alerting the user), which in turn takesaction based on the unauthorized access. Depending on which compartmentis accessed, the security center may, for example, deploy securitypersonnel or alert the local police.

FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of electronics compartment 840,according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, cover panel 943functions as access member 1304 a for electronics compartment 840. Insome embodiments, the lock 1302 a for electronics compartment 840includes a set of latches 1604 and a corresponding set of latchreceptacles 1606. When the lock is engaged, the interlocking of thelatches 1604 and the latch receptacles 1606 holds the access membersecurely in the closed position. The lock may be disengaged by accesscontroller 1310, which may drive one or more actuators coupled to thelatch receptacles 1606 to release the latches 1604 or vice versa,thereby allowing the access member to be moved from the closed position(e.g., a position in which the interior of the compartment isinaccessible, such as the position of cover panel 943 in FIG. 9A) to theopen position (e.g., a position in which the interior of the compartmentis accessible, such as the position of cover panel 943 in FIG. 16). Thecover panel 943 may be hinged and/or removable.

As can be seen in FIG. 16, electronics compartment 840 may enclose anelectronics cabinet 941. FIGS. 17A and 17B show front perspective andrear perspective views of the electronics cabinet 941, according to someembodiments. Electronics cabinet 941 may include three sub-compartments1710, 1720, and 1730. Sub-compartments 1710, 1720, and 1730 (or a subsetthereof) may be independently secured and independently accessible. Insome embodiments, sub-compartments 1710, 1720, and 1730 enclose,respectively, power distribution subsystem 110, network subsystem 120,and maintenance subsystem 130. In some embodiments, the powerdistribution subsystem 110 and the network subsystem 120 may be locatedon the same side of the electronics cabinet 941 (e.g., with the powerdistribution subsystem 110 located between the base of the PCS 100 andthe network subsystem 120), and the maintenance subsystem 130 may belocated on the opposite side of the electronics cabinet 941. In someembodiments, sub-compartment 1720 encloses network subsystem 120, andsub-compartments 1710 and 1730 collectively enclose power distributionsubsystem 110 and maintenance subsystem 130 (e.g., portions of the powerdistribution subsystem 110 and/or portions of the maintenance subsystem130 may be located in both the sub-compartment 1710 and thesub-compartment 1730).

In some embodiments, electronics compartment 840 may not enclose anelectronics cabinet 941. Electronics compartment 840 may encloseelectronics subsystem 140 without partitioning subsystems 110, 120, and130 into sub-compartments.

An embodiment has been described in which an electronics compartment 840encloses three sub-compartments 1710, 1720, and 1730, which in turnenclose power distribution subsystem 110, network subsystem 120, andmaintenance subsystem 130. In some embodiments, PCS 100 may not includean electronics compartment 840 enclosing multiple compartments. Instead,PCS 100 may include three compartments which respectively enclosesubsystems 110, 120 and 130.

FIGS. 18A and 18B show front perspective and exploded front perspectiveviews, respectively, of an air intake assembly 967, according to someembodiments. Air intake assembly 967 may be enclosed in air intakecompartment 865 and may implement a portion of temperature controlsubsystem 160. In some embodiments, air intake assembly 967 includes agrill 1802, a filter 1806, and a fan assembly 1804. The grill 1802 mayfunction as access member 1304 b, and may be secured to the PCS bysecurity fasteners 1808, which may function as lock 1302 b. Thus, lock1302 b may be engaged by using security fasteners 1808 to fasten grill1802 to the PCS. According to some embodiments, the closed and openpositions of access member 1304 b (e.g., grill 1802 of air intakeassembly 967) are illustrated in FIG. 9A and FIG. 18A, respectively. Insome embodiments, air intake compartment 865 may enclose two air intakeassemblies 967 disposed proximate to each other, on opposite sides ofPCS 100.

FIGS. 19A and 19B show front perspective and rear perspective views,respectively, of a user interface device 951, according to someembodiments. User interface device 951 may be partially enclosed in userinterface compartment 850 and may implement a user interface subsystem150. In some embodiments, user interface device 951 includes a userinterface panel 1902 and a tablet computer 1900 fastened to the userinterface panel 1902 by security fasteners 1904. In some embodiments,the security fasteners are accessible via the interior of air intakecompartment 865, but not accessible from the exterior of the PCS 100.Thus, in some embodiments, the lock 1302 f and access member 1304 f foruser interface compartment 850 may include, respectively, the lock 1302b and the access member 1304 b for air intake compartment 865.

FIG. 20 shows a perspective view of a display compartment 870, accordingto some embodiments. In some embodiments, display compartment 870includes a display module 700 and a heat sink 903. In some embodiments,display compartment 870 includes a second display module (and,optionally, a second heat sink) arranged back-to-back with displaymodule 700 and heat sink 903, such that display module 700 and thesecond display module face outwardly in opposite directions.

FIG. 21 shows an exploded perspective view of a display module 700,according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, display module 700includes a housing and a display panel 2104. The housing may include ahousing frame 2102, a covering frame 2106, and a transparent covering2108. Display module 700 may be assembled by positioning display panel2104 in cavity 2110, fastening the display panel to housing frame 2102,and using covering frame 2106 to secure transparent covering 2108 overdisplay panel 2104. Transparent covering 2108 may include toughenedglass (e.g., “Gorilla Glass”® manufactured by Corning, Inc.). In someembodiments, the assembled display module 700 functions as the accessmember 1304 c for display compartment 870. FIG. 9A shows access member1304 c (display module 700) in the closed position, and FIG. 20 showsthe access member in the open or service position.

FIG. 22 shows a cut-away perspective view of compartment lock 1302 c ofdisplay compartment 870, according to some embodiments. In someembodiments, compartment lock 1302 c includes a connector 2202 (e.g., apin) coupled to the housing of display module 700, and a matinginterlocking connector 2204 (e.g., an L-shaped receptacle) formed in aretention member 2208 of PCS 100. FIG. 22 also shows an actuator 2206.In some embodiments, actuator 2206 is operable to disengage lock 1302 cby moving retention member 2208 such that connector 2202 is releasedfrom mating interlocking connector 2204 (e.g., moving retention member2208 toward the PCS's base). The operation of compartment lock 1302 cand actuator 2206 are described in more detail below, with reference toFIGS. 23A and 23B.

FIG. 23A shows a cross-sectional view of compartment lock 1302 c ofdisplay compartment 870 with the lock engaged and the access member(display module 700) in the closed position, according to someembodiments. In some embodiments, lock 1302 c is engaged by positioningconnector 2202 within mating interlocking connector 2204, such thatmating interlocking connector 2204 prevents connector 2202 from movinglaterally. As can be seen, when lock 1302 c is engaged, display module700 is held in the closed position. In some embodiments, actuator 2206is operable to disengage lock 1302 c by retracting a pin 2302 into anaperture of a spool 2306, thereby moving mating interlocking connector2204 downward such that connector 2202 can move laterally toward theexterior of the PCS 100. In some embodiments, actuator 2206 includes abias member 2304 (e.g., a spring) that biases lock 1302 c toward theengaged position. Actuator 2206 may be controlled by access controller1310.

FIG. 23B shows a cross-sectional view of compartment lock 1302 c ofdisplay compartment 870 with the lock disengaged and the access member(display module 700) in the open position, according to someembodiments. In the example of FIG. 23B, pin 2302 has been retracted,thereby causing retention member 2208 and mating interlocking connector2204 to move downward, thereby releasing connector 2202 to movelaterally toward the exterior of PCS 100.

An embodiment has been described in which compartment lock 1302 c ofdisplay compartment 870 includes a connector 2202 and a matinginterlocking connector 2204. In some embodiments, a compartment lock1302 c may include multiple pairs of connectors and mating interlockingconnectors. The connectors may be arranged around a periphery of displaymodule 700, and the mating interlocking connectors may be arrangedaround a periphery of display compartment 870. For example, retentionmember 2208 may include one or more mating interlocking connectors, anda second retention member disposed on the opposite side of displaymodule 700 may also include one or more mating interlocking connectors.In some embodiments, the connectors 2202 may be disposed on theretention members 2208, and the mating interlocking connectors 2204 maybe disposed on the display module 700.

As described above, PCS 100 may include two display modules 700 facingin opposite directions. In such embodiments, either one or both displaymodules may be equipped with compartment locks 1302 c and actuators 2206that operate independently or in unison.

FIG. 24 shows a perspective view of a communications compartment 880,according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, communicationscompartment 880 includes a removable cap 985, which may function asaccess member 1304 d, and may be secured to the PCS by insertingsecurity fasteners through apertures 2404 and 2406. The securityfasteners may function as compartment lock 1302 d. According to someembodiments, the closed and open positions of access member 1304 d(e.g., cap 985) are illustrated in FIG. 9A and FIG. 24, respectively.

Perspective views of mounting compartment 890 are shown in FIGS. 9A, 9C,and 25, according to some embodiments. Mounting compartment 890 mayinclude a cover panel 991. In some embodiments, cover panel 991functions as access member 1304 e for mounting compartment 890. In someembodiments, the lock 1302 e for mounting compartment 890 includes a setof latches disposed proximate the periphery of cover panel 991 and acorresponding set of latch receptacles disposed proximate the peripheryof mounting compartment 890 or vice versa. When the lock is engaged, theinterlocking of the latches and the latch receptacles may hold theaccess member securely in the closed position. The lock may bedisengaged by access controller 1310, which may drive one or moreactuators coupled to the latch receptacles to release the latches,thereby allowing the access member to be moved from the closed position(e.g., a position in which the interior of the compartment isinaccessible, such as the position of cover panel 991 in FIG. 9A) to theopen position (e.g., a position in which the interior of the compartmentis accessible, such as the position of cover panel 991 in FIG. 9C).

In some embodiments, the mounting compartment 890 contains a mains powerconnection and one or more network connections. The networkconnection(s) may be, for example, fiber optic and/or copper networkconnections, depending, for example, on where the PCS is located andwhat type of network service is available. In some locations, PCS 100may receive input data through one or more fiber network connections,provide output data through one or more copper network connections, orvice versa.

In some embodiments, the mounting compartment 890 may contain one ormore junction boxes 2500 for connecting power and/or networkconnections. In some embodiments, the junction boxes 2500 are attachedto the mounting compartment 890 before the PCS 100 is installed, whichmay facilitate securing of the power and network cabling 2502 (e.g.,fastening of the cabling to the PCS). In some embodiments, the junctionboxes are attached to the PCS 100 before it is installed on mountingsubsystem 190. In some embodiments, a portion 2504 of the mountingsubsystem 190 forms a bottom surface of the mounting compartment 890. Insome embodiments, portions of the power and/or network cabling arelocated in the mounting subsystem 190 before the PCS 100 is mounted, andthe cabling is connected to the PCS's mains power connection and networkconnection(s) after the PCS 100 is mounted.

In some embodiments, one or more compartments of PCS 100 arehierarchically secured, such that access to one or more compartments isa precondition for accessing another compartment. For example, securityinterface 1320 may be disposed within a compartment C (e.g., air intakecompartment 865 or communication compartment 880), such that a user canaccess the security interface 1320 only after accessing the compartmentC. The user can then provide authentication data to access controller1310 via security interface 1320, and thereby gain access to othercompartments (e.g., display compartment 870, electronics compartment840, or mounting compartment 890). In some embodiments, the securityinterface 1320 may include a key reader disposed on an exterior surfaceof the PCS 100 or proximate to the PCS 100.

Further Description of Some Embodiments

Embodiments have been described in which an access controller performsan authentication process and controls engagement/disengagement ofcompartment locks and/or opening/closing of compartment access members.The various authentication and control methods or processes outlinedherein can be coded as software that is executable on one or moreprocessors that employ one of a variety of operating systems orplatforms. Additionally, such software can be written using any of anumber of suitable programming languages and/or programming or scriptingtools, and also can be compiled as executable machine language code orintermediate code that is executed on a framework or virtual machine.Also, the acts performed as part of the techniques described herein canbe performed in any suitable order.

In this respect, the authentication and/or control techniques can beembodied as a computer readable medium (or multiple computer readablemedia) (e.g., a computer memory, one or more floppy discs, compactdiscs, optical discs, magnetic tapes, flash memories, circuitconfigurations in Field Programmable Gate Arrays or other semiconductordevices, or other tangible computer storage medium) encoded with one ormore programs that, when executed on one or more computers or otherprocessors, perform methods that implement the various techniquesdiscussed above. The computer readable medium or media can benon-transitory. The computer readable medium or media can betransportable, such that the program or programs stored thereon can beloaded onto one or more different computers or other processors toimplement various aspects of the present invention as discussed above.The terms “program” or “software” are used herein in a generic sense torefer to computer code or set of computer-executable instructions thatcan be employed to program a computer or other processor to implementvarious aspects described in the present disclosure. Additionally, itshould be appreciated that according to one aspect of this disclosure,one or more computer programs that when executed perform techniquesdescribed herein need not reside on a single computer or processor, butcan be distributed in a modular fashion amongst a number of differentcomputers or processors to implement various aspects of the presentinvention.

Computer-executable instructions can be in many forms, such as programmodules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally,program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, datastructures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particularabstract data types. Typically the functionality of the program modulescan be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

Also, data structures can be stored in computer-readable media in anysuitable form. For simplicity of illustration, data structures can beshown to have fields that are related through location in the datastructure. Such relationships can likewise be achieved by assigningstorage for the fields with locations in a computer-readable medium thatconveys relationship between the fields. However, any suitable mechanismcan be used to establish a relationship between information in fields ofa data structure, including through the use of pointers, tags or othermechanisms that establish a relationship between data elements.

In some embodiments the technique(s) can be implemented as computerinstructions stored in portions of a computer's random access memory toprovide control logic that affects the processes described above. Insuch an embodiment, the program can be written in any one of a number ofhigh-level languages, such as FORTRAN, PASCAL, C, C++, C#, Java,JavaScript, Tcl, or BASIC. Further, the program can be written in ascript, macro, or functionality embedded in commercially availablesoftware, such as EXCEL or VISUAL BASIC. Additionally, the software canbe implemented in an assembly language directed to a microprocessorresident on a computer. For example, the software can be implemented inIntel 80x86 assembly language if it is configured to run on an IBM PC orPC clone. The software can be embedded on an article of manufactureincluding, but not limited to, “computer-readable program means” such asa floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, a PROM, anEPROM, or CD-ROM.

Embodiments have been described in which various aspects of thetechniques described herein are applied to a personal communicationstructure (PCS). In some embodiments, aspects of the techniquesdescribed herein may be applied to any suitable structure including,without limitation, a kiosk (e.g., an interactive kiosk), pay station(e.g., parking pay station), automated teller machine (ATM), article ofstreet furniture (e.g., mailbox, bench, traffic barrier, bollard,telephone booth, streetlamp, traffic signal, traffic sign, publictransit sign, public transit shelter, taxi stand, public lavatory,fountain, watering trough, memorial, sculpture, waste receptacle, firehydrant, vending machine, utility pole, etc.), etc.

Various aspects of the present disclosure can be used alone, incombination, or in a variety of arrangements not specifically describedin the foregoing, and the invention is therefore not limited in itsapplication to the details and arrangement of components set forth inthe foregoing description or illustrated in the drawings. For example,aspects described in one embodiment can be combined in a suitable mannerwith aspects described in other embodiments.

TERMINOLOGY

The phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose ofdescription and should not be regarded as limiting.

The term “approximately”, the phrase “approximately equal to”, and othersimilar phrases, as used in the specification and the claims (e.g., “Xhas a value of approximately Y” or “X is approximately equal to Y”),should be understood to mean that one value (X) is within apredetermined range of another value (Y). The predetermined range may beplus or minus 20%, 10%, 5%, 3%, 1%, 0.1%, or less than 0.1%, unlessotherwise indicated.

The indefinite articles “a” and “an,” as used in the specification andin the claims, unless clearly indicated to the contrary, should beunderstood to mean “at least one.” The phrase “and/or,” as used in thespecification and in the claims, should be understood to mean “either orboth” of the elements so conjoined, i.e., elements that areconjunctively present in some cases and disjunctively present in othercases. Multiple elements listed with “and/or” should be construed in thesame fashion, i.e., “one or more” of the elements so conjoined. Otherelements may optionally be present other than the elements specificallyidentified by the “and/or” clause, whether related or unrelated to thoseelements specifically identified. Thus, as a non-limiting example, areference to “A and/or B”, when used in conjunction with open-endedlanguage such as “comprising” can refer, in one embodiment, to A only(optionally including elements other than B); in another embodiment, toB only (optionally including elements other than A); in yet anotherembodiment, to both A and B (optionally including other elements); etc.

As used in the specification and in the claims, “or” should beunderstood to have the same meaning as “and/or” as defined above. Forexample, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and/or” shall beinterpreted as being inclusive, i.e., the inclusion of at least one, butalso including more than one, of a number or list of elements, and,optionally, additional unlisted items. Only terms clearly indicated tothe contrary, such as “only one of or “exactly one of,” or, when used inthe claims, “consisting of,” will refer to the inclusion of exactly oneelement of a number or list of elements. In general, the term “or” asused shall only be interpreted as indicating exclusive alternatives(i.e. “one or the other but not both”) when preceded by terms ofexclusivity, such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly oneof” “Consisting essentially of,” when used in the claims, shall have itsordinary meaning as used in the field of patent law.

As used in the specification and in the claims, the phrase “at leastone,” in reference to a list of one or more elements, should beunderstood to mean at least one element selected from any one or more ofthe elements in the list of elements, but not necessarily including atleast one of each and every element specifically listed within the listof elements and not excluding any combinations of elements in the listof elements. This definition also allows that elements may optionally bepresent other than the elements specifically identified within the listof elements to which the phrase “at least one” refers, whether relatedor unrelated to those elements specifically identified. Thus, as anon-limiting example, “at least one of A and B” (or, equivalently, “atleast one of A or B,” or, equivalently “at least one of A and/or B”) canrefer, in one embodiment, to at least one, optionally including morethan one, A, with no B present (and optionally including elements otherthan B); in another embodiment, to at least one, optionally includingmore than one, B, with no A present (and optionally including elementsother than A); in yet another embodiment, to at least one, optionallyincluding more than one, A, and at least one, optionally including morethan one, B (and optionally including other elements); etc.

The use of “including,” “comprising,” “having,” “containing,”“involving,” and variations thereof, is meant to encompass the itemslisted thereafter and additional items.

Use of ordinal terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., in theclaims to modify a claim element does not by itself connote anypriority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another or thetemporal order in which acts of a method are performed. Ordinal termsare used merely as labels to distinguish one claim element having acertain name from another element having a same name (but for use of theordinal term), to distinguish the claim elements.

EQUIVALENTS

Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of thisinvention, it is to be appreciated that various alterations,modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled inthe art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intendedto be part of this disclosure, and are intended to be within the spiritand scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description anddrawings are by way of example only.

What is claimed is:
 1. A personal communication structure (PCS)comprising: at least three independently accessible compartments atleast partially enclosing respective subsystems of the PCS, an interiorof each of the independently accessible compartments being accessiblewithout accessing the interior of any other independently accessiblecompartment, the at least three independently accessible compartmentscomprising: an electronics compartment at least partially enclosing apower distribution subsystem, a communications compartment at leastpartially enclosing a communications subsystem, and a displaycompartment at least partially enclosing a display subsystem; and anaccess controller operable to provide access independently to respectiveinteriors of at least a subset of the compartments.
 2. The PCS of claim1, wherein the electronics compartment further at least partiallyencloses at least one subsystem selected from the group consisting of anetworking subsystem and a maintenance subsystem.
 3. The PCS of claim 1,wherein the electronics compartment comprises a power distributioncompartment and an independently accessible networking compartment,wherein the power distribution compartment at least partially enclosesthe power distribution subsystem, and wherein the networking compartmentat least partially encloses a networking subsystem.
 4. The PCS of claim1, wherein the independently accessible compartments further comprise atleast one compartment selected from the group consisting of a networkingcompartment at least partially enclosing a networking subsystem and amaintenance compartment at least partially enclosing a maintenancesubsystem.
 5. The PCS of claim 1, wherein the electronics compartmentcomprises an access panel movable between an open position and a closedposition, and a lock operable to lock the access panel in the closedposition, and wherein the access controller is operable to provideaccess to the interior of the electronics compartment by performing atleast one operation selected from the group consisting of disengagingthe lock and moving the access panel to the open position.
 6. The PCS ofclaim 1, wherein the electronics compartment is disposed along a lowerportion of the PCS.
 7. The PCS of claim 1, wherein the communicationssubsystem comprises at least one communication device selected from thegroup consisting of a wireless access point, a radio access node, and anantenna.
 8. The PCS of claim 7, wherein the radio access node comprisesa small cell operable to communicate with at least one mobile networkselected from the group consisting of 3G mobile networks, 4G mobilenetworks, and LTE mobile networks.
 9. The PCS of claim 1, wherein thecommunications compartment is located proximate a top of the PCS. 10.The PCS of claim 1, wherein the display subsystem comprises a displaypanel operable to display images.
 11. The PCS of claim 10, wherein thedisplay compartment comprises an access member movable between an openposition and a closed position, and a lock operable to lock the accessmember in the closed position.
 12. The PCS of claim 11, wherein the lockcomprises a connector coupled to the access member and a matinginterlocking connector coupled to a frame of the PCS.
 13. The PCS ofclaim 11, wherein the access member comprises a housing, wherein thehousing comprises a frame, a transparent covering secured to the frame,and a cavity formed by the frame and the transparent covering, andwherein the display panel is secured to the frame and disposed withinthe cavity.
 14. The PCS of claim 11, wherein the access controller isoperable to provide access to the interior of the display compartment byperforming at least one operation selected from the group consisting ofdisengaging the lock and moving the access member to the open position.15. The PCS of claim 1, wherein the display compartment is disposedalong an upper portion of the PCS.
 16. The PCS of claim 1, wherein theaccess controller comprises a processing device, wherein the subset ofthe independently accessible compartments comprise respective locks, andwherein the processing device is configured to independently disengagethe respective locks.
 17. The PCS of claim 16, wherein the processingdevice is adapted to disengage each of the locks by controlling at leastone device selected from the group consisting of a solenoid driver, arotary actuator, a linear actuator, an electromagnet, a cam, and alever.
 18. The PCS of claim 16, wherein the processing device isconfigured to receive authentication data and to disengage at least oneof the locks based on the authentication data meeting authenticationrequirements associated with the locks.
 19. The PCS of claim 18, whereinthe access controller further comprises a data input device configuredto provide the authentication data to the processing device.
 20. The PCSof claim 18, wherein the access controller is configured to detect atleast one of unauthorized access and attempted unauthorized access. 21.The PCS of claim 20, wherein the access controller is configured tocollect evidence of at least one of the unauthorized access and theattempted unauthorized access.
 22. The PCS of claim 21, furthercomprising a camera, wherein the access controller is configured tocollect the evidence by operating the camera to acquire at least oneimage of a region proximate to the PCS.
 23. The PCS of claim 20, whereinthe access controller is configured to provide an alert regarding atleast one of the unauthorized access and the attempted unauthorizedaccess.
 24. The PCS of claim 23, wherein the access controller isconfigured to provide the alert by performing at least one act selectedfrom the group consisting of sounding an alarm, displaying a message viathe display subsystem, and sending a silent alert to a securityprovider.
 25. The PCS of claim 18, wherein the processing device isfurther configured to receive permission to disengage the at least onelock, and wherein the processing device is configured to disengage theat least one lock based on receiving the permission and on theauthentication data meeting the authentication requirements associatedwith the at least one lock.
 26. The PCS of claim 25, wherein theprocessing device is further configured to send a message requestingpermission to disengage the at least one lock, and wherein thepermission to disengage the at least one lock is received in response tosending the message.
 27. The PCS of claim 1, wherein the independentlyaccessible compartments further comprise a user interface compartment atleast partially enclosing a user interface subsystem.
 28. The PCS ofclaim 1, further comprising an air intake compartment at least partiallyenclosing an air intake subsystem.
 29. The PCS of claim 1, furthercomprising a mounting compartment, wherein the mounting compartmentencloses at least one power connection and at least one networkconnection.
 30. A personal communication structure (PCS) comprising: aplurality of independently accessible compartments at least partiallyenclosing respective subsystems of the PCS, the plurality ofindependently accessible compartments comprising: an electronicscompartment at least partially enclosing a power distribution subsystem,a communications compartment at least partially enclosing acommunications subsystem, and a display compartment at least partiallyenclosing a display subsystem; and an access controller operable toprovide access independently to respective interiors of at least asubset of the compartments, wherein the access controller comprises aprocessing device, wherein the subset of the independently accessiblecompartments comprise respective locks, and wherein the processingdevice is configured to independently disengage the respective locks,wherein the access controller is configured to detect closure of anaccess member of at least one compartment, the access member beingmovable between an open position and a closed position, and wherein theaccess controller is configured to engage the lock associated with theat least one compartment based on detection of the closure of the accessmember.